Piercing bright blue flowers with ruffled petals and violet-blue centres apear from early to late summer among lance-shaped mid-green leaves. Once a common sight in cornfields this lovely annual is perfect for naturalising in a sunny wildflower meadow and is a magnet for butterflies and bees. Profits from these seeds are used to protect existing wildflower areas and develop potential new sites.

Garden care: Wild flowers prefer poor soils so do not apply fertiliser. Deadhead regularly to prolong flowering. In autumn cut the faded flowerheads down to the ground and compost the dead stems.